CITU EXTENDS SUPPORT TO STRIKING HARYANA ROADWAYS WORKERS AGAINST PRIVATISATION OF ROUTES

13th April 2017

The workers of Haryana Roadways Corporation irrespective of affiliations had been on strike since 10th April 2017 opposing award of 1600 permits to private operators to ply on 253 routes by the BJP Govt of Haryana. In these 253 routes mainly the Haryana Roadways buses have been plying. The game plan is to push the state-owned Haryana Roadways Corporation to unviability leading to its sickness paving way for total privatization of passenger transport system in the state.The strike is being conducted by all the unions of Haryana Roadways workers and the strike is total even on the fourth day. Workers are determined to resist the ugly game plan of the BJP Govt of Haryana to completely privatise the passenger transport services in the state much to the detriment of the interests of people and Roadways workers which will only benefit the private operators and those in the Govt handling the contracts. The BJP-run State Govt unleashed severe repression on the workers and more than 150 union leaders have been put under suspension. Braving all repression, strike is continuing totally demonstrating total unity of the workers and common people in general came forward in supporting the strike action denouncing the nefarious conspiracy of the state govt for privatization of bus services.The Centre of Indian Trade Unions congratulates the Haryana Roadways workers for their heroic strike struggle and extends all support to their struggle against privatization. Already CITU unions and other mass organizations in Haryana have been organizing solidarity programmes throughout the state. CITU calls upon the working class to stand by the continuing strike struggles by the Haryana Roadway workers against privatization and demands upon the State Govt of Haryana to refrain from their retrograde decision, withdraw all victimization and end the stalemate in consultation with the unions.